Infos zum Yosemite NP

Woman killed by falling rock and ice at Yosemite National Park

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A woman died at Yosemite National Park in California on Sunday, after park officials say she was hit by falling rock and ice.
The National Park Service said in a news release Monday that the woman, Xuan Wang, 56, was hiking on the Mist Trail of the park. The popular trail, however, is closed during this time of year because of "icy and hazardous conditions," the release said.
CNN meteorologist Gene Norman said that while weather likely did not play a role in Wang's death, there was a wind advisory in the area of Yosemite for expected gusts of 55 mph.
"The trail closure is clearly marked and there is a gate on the trail reminding visitors of the closure," the release states. "Wang ignored the signs, went around the gate and the incident happened on the trail" that led to trail's top at Vernal Fall.

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Im März 1990 musste ich mich in der Ecke auch vor herabfallenden Eiszapfen in Acht nehmen.

Yosemite National Park Announces that the 2019 Half Dome Preseason Lottery will be Delayed

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Yosemite National Park announces that the 2019 preseason lottery for Half Dome permits will be delayed this year due to a transition to a new contracted provider. The preseason lottery typically opens on March 1. For the latest information on the status of the Half Dome preseason lottery, please visit https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/hdpermits.htm. No date is yet determined on when the preseason lottery will open.
All hikers are required to have permits to ascend the subdome steps and the Half Dome cables seven days a week when the cables are up. Park Rangers install the Half Dome cables each spring and take them down each fall, based on weather and trail conditions. The cables are typically up from late May to early October.
All day use hiking permits are distributed by lottery via Recreation.gov, with the preseason lottery in the spring and daily lotteries during the hiking season. During the preseason lottery, 225 permits are available for each day that the cables are up. To include Half Dome as part of an overnight wilderness trip please visit https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/hdwildpermits.htm.
All visitors planning to apply for permits to climb the Half Dome Cables are strongly encouraged to thoroughly read all information posted on Yosemite National Park’s Half Dome page and the “Cables on Half Dome” page managed by Recreation.gov, https://www.recreation.gov/permits/234652, as there have been some new changes to the application process. The most accurate information will be posted on both the Yosemite National Park webpage and on Recreation.gov.

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Yosemite National Park Announces that the 2019 Half Dome Preseason Lottery will Open on Wednesday, March 13, 2019

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Yosemite National Park announces that the 2019 preseason lottery for Half Dome permits will open at 7:00 am PDT on Wednesday, March 13, 2019. For the latest information on the Half Dome preseason lottery, please visit https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/hdpermits.htm.
All hikers are required to have permits to ascend the subdome steps and the Half Dome cables seven days a week when the cables are up. Park Rangers install the Half Dome cables each spring and take them down each fall, based on weather and trail conditions. The cables are typically up from late May to early October.
All day use hiking permits are distributed by lottery via Recreation.gov, with the preseason lottery in the spring and daily lotteries during the hiking season. During the preseason lottery, 225 permits are available for each day that the cables are up. To include Half Dome as part of an overnight wilderness trip please visit https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/hdwildpermits.htm.
All visitors planning to apply for permits to climb the Half Dome Cables are strongly encouraged to thoroughly read all information posted on Yosemite National Park’s Half Dome page and the “Cables on Half Dome” page managed by Recreation.gov, https://www.recreation.gov/permits/234652, as there have been some new changes to the application process. The most accurate information will be posted on both the Yosemite National Park webpage and on Recreation.gov.

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Yosemite National Park Announces the Mariposa Grove Road and the Free Visitor Shuttle Open for the Season on Friday, April 12, 2019

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Yosemite National Park announces that the Mariposa Grove Road will reopen to automobiles on Friday, April 12, 2019. The free visitor shuttle to the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias will also resume service for the busy summer season on Friday, April 12. When the shuttles are running, visitors should park at the South Entrance Parking area and ride the free shuttle 2-miles to the Lower Grove.
Every year, the Mariposa Grove Road closes during the winter season and reopens in the spring as conditions allow. The Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias remains open year-round, but during the winter season visitor parking is located at the South Entrance Parking Area and visitors can snowshoe or cross-country ski up the Mariposa Grove Road or the Washburn Trail.
Visitors planning to hike in the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias in April and early May should be prepared for winter hiking conditions. Up to two feet of snow remain in some sections of the trails in the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias.

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Repair Work Continues At Yosemite National Park After Destructive Winter

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Hundreds of families who’d planned early spring camping trips in Yosemite have been forced to make other arrangements.
Park service crews are still repairing the damage from the most destructive winter season in recent memory. And it could be weeks before Half Dome Village is fully reopened.
Two weeks into spring and the winter cleanup continues in several Yosemite Valley campgrounds. Heavy snow toppled trees; busted bear boxes; shattered picnic tables and yanked campfire rings with concrete footings clean out of the ground.
The weather did not set any seasonal records, but even people who’ve been here for decades say they can’t remember a winter so destructive.
“Right now, you’re seeing a lot of the aftermath,” said park ranger Jamie Richards. She says it looked like a tsunami hit the Pines Campgrounds. “We really couldn’t see the damage that was left over because of all the snow. We had to wait for about three to four feet of snow to melt,” she added.
The park service reluctantly canceled hundreds of campground reservations; Half Dome Village — still known by many as Curry Village — will only gradually reopen.
Some visitors actually found beauty in nature’s power
“We love it, we love it. It’s very beautiful here and even though you have some damages here, for us it’s super impressive,” said Nicolas Butterwegge, a German visitor.
“That’s just the way it is. And I think that’s the more beautiful thing,” said Julian Weyschaupt, a German visitor.
Of course, the winter storms also brought good things to Yosemite. Cross-country ski trails in the high country will remain open a couple weeks later than usual. Yosemite’s famous waterfalls will soon become even more spectacular.
A couple of food concessions are set to open this weekend in Half Dome Village but don’t expect the entire village to be open until late spring because of the extensive damage.

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Yosemite National Park Announces the Launch of a Pilot Daily Lottery for Camp 4 Campground

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Yosemite National Park announces that a new pilot lottery program for Camp 4 Campground will launch on Tuesday, May 21, 2019. This daily lottery system will be operated through Recreation.gov and will help improve the visitor experience at Camp 4 Campground.
Camp 4 Campground is a walk-in campground and the only first-come, first-served campground in Yosemite Valley. Visitor demands for a camping space at Camp 4 have been increasing over the past decade and the current registration system no longer serves the public and meets the needs of current campers. Under the current system, campers have to line up and wait for a first-come, first-served camping space to open. In order to wait for one of the available spaces to open up, campers line up all day, and sometime the night before, with the hopes of getting a camping space. This system is inefficient and has contributed to wildlife issues due to improper food storage, out of bounds camping, and conflicts between campers.
To help resolve these issues, Yosemite National Park is going to test a new pilot program from late May to early September, using a daily lottery system similar to the Half Dome daily lottery. Visitors interested in staying at Camp 4 will enter a daily lottery managed by http://www.recreation.gov. The lottery opens at 12:01 am pacific time the day before your intended arrival date. The lottery is open until 4:00 pm pacific time. The lottery automatically matches applicants with the number of open camping spaces. All people who enter the daily lottery will be notified by email on the results of their lottery application.
This new pilot program will run through the busy summer season and will be evaluated fall 2019.

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Yosemite waterfalls are gushing this year — and some won’t last long. Here’s how to see them

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An extra wet winter and spring this year means waterfall season in Yosemite National Park is off to a thunderous, gushing start.
This is also a great time to see many of the park’s lesser-known falls that only last for a short time.
Waterfalls are fed by melting snowpack, which was at 153 percent of average in Yosemite’s Merced River basin and 176 percent of average in the Tuolumne River basin as of April 1.
The park’s best-known waterfalls – Yosemite Falls, Bridalveil Fall, Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall – are all flowing well according to Yosemite officials. Yosemite waterfalls typically reach their peak flow in the late spring or early summer.
“The April snow survey confirmed what a big year it was in terms of snowpack,” said Scott Gediman, Yosemite National Park spokesman, “and with the recent warm weather, we’ve seen great waterfalls and they are going strong right now, and also, some of the ephemeral falls around the Valley as well, such as Staircase Falls above Half Dome Village, Sentinel Falls on the side of Sentinel Rock, and the Royal Arches.”

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Glacier Point Road in Yosemite National Park to Open for the Season on Friday, May 10, 2019

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Yosemite National Park will open the Glacier Point Road to all vehicular traffic at 9:00 am on Friday, May 10, 2019.
There will be limited visitor services available at Glacier Point. The Glacier Point Store will be open at 10:00 am on Friday, May 10, 2019. There is no projected opening date for the Bridalveil Creek Campground.
Visitors are encouraged to slow down and drive with caution along all park roads, as bears and other wildlife may be present on or near the roadway. Drivers should be aware of potential hazards in the road, including wet and icy conditions or debris in the roadway. Drivers should also be aware of the potential of downed trees in and around the road.
The Four Mile Trail remains closed until further notice from Yosemite Valley to Glacier Point due to snow, ice, and other hazards along the trail. All visitors planning to hike at high elevations in Yosemite National Park should be prepared for winter hiking conditions. Hikers may encounter snow, ice, high water crossings, and other hazards. All hikers should be prepared to turn back if challenging conditions are found along a trail.
Spring is a busy time to visit Yosemite National Park. Visitors are encouraged to plan their trips in advance and arrive to the park before 9:00 am or after 4:00 pm. Parking areas throughout the park are expected to fill early in the day. Visitor parking will be available at the Yosemite Village Day Parking Area and at the Yosemite Falls Day Parking Area. Visitors are encouraged to park and utilize the free park shuttle to get to the Yosemite Valley Village and Visitor Center. Visitors coming to Yosemite from Friday through Sunday will experience periods of heavy visitation. Visitors should be prepared to wait in long lines at the park entrance stations. All park visitors are encouraged to pack your patience.

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Study Claims Permit System Doesn't Make Half Dome Hike Safer

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You can debate long into the evening whether the hike up Angels Landing in Zion National Park is more terrifying and dangerous than the one to the roof of Half Dome in Yosemite National Park.
At Yosemite, however, park staff some years back decided the crush of day hikers heading up Half Dome was increasing the riskiness of walking up a 45-degree slope, and so they implemented a permit system to limit hikers.
Now a study claims that permit system does not reduce the risk for hikers.
I've hiked both trails, and must admit the final stretch to the summit of Half Dome is scarier and, indeed, very likely more dangerous than the trail up Angels Landing. Nowhere on Angels Landing does the trail head up a 600-foot stretch of slick granite that at points reaches a 45-degree angle. And for day hikers, that stretch is tackled after they've hiked half of the 14.2-mile roundtrip. Under a glaring sun, that alone can tax you.
Getting in line to tackle the final stretch, which the Park Service makes somewhat easier during the summer months by installing cables for handholds and two-by-fours as slight steps, you gaze up the steep pitch and the line of people in front of you and you feel a shiver down your spine and sweat forming in the palm of your hands, even with work gloves on to better grip the steel cables.
Hesitating isn't always an option, as there can be a line of people forming behind you, anxious to reach the summit. And as you head up, others are coming down, some still swimming in the euphoria of standing atop Half Dome and gazing down into the Yosemite Valley.
hrough the years, at least eight hikers have slipped and fallen to their deaths from Half Dome's shoulder. Most slipped and fell after, or during, rainstorms. Some suffered heart attacks. Back in 2007, a woman tried the hike before the cables had been installed. While she made it to the summit, she fell to her death on the way down.
In 2010 the park implemented a permit system to try to keep the number of day hikers on the iconic rock to what seemed to be a manageable number. Whereas some days prior to the permit system saw more than 1,000 hikers tackle the route, the permit system was intended to keep the number to 400 a day.
A study at the end of that first summer of permitting found that the permits didn't make the hike any safer. While the permit system for folks hoping to summit Half Dome on weekends and holidays did indeed tamp down those crowds, the 2010 study said it also had the "unintended consequence" of moving the crowds to weekdays, when permits were not required. In the end, the study concluded, "these results suggest that the objectives of visitor safety and acceptable experiential conditions on the cable route cannot be provided with a daily visitor use permit system implemented only on some, but not all, days of the week."
So in the wake of that study it was decided that permits for Half Dome would be required every day of the week going forward.
But now, a new study claims even that approach doesn't make the hike any safer.
While the permitting did reduce the overall number of hikers heading up Half Dome by 66 percent, there wasn't a corresponding decline in accidents.

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Yosemite’s Half Dome summit to reopen to hikers with cable installation

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Yosemite National Park will have cables on Half Dome installed by Thursday, giving hikers long-awaited access to the final stretch of the summit, officials said.
The park puts up the cables each spring, usually the Friday before Memorial Day, and takes them down by mid-October. Visitors use the cables to ascend the last 400 feet of the iconic dome, and permits are required for the climb.
But a blitz of tourists over Memorial Day weekend didn’t have the option of scaling the summit this year due to snow, ice and other hazards on the trail, park officials said. The cable route remained closed for repairs.

This year marks the 100-year anniversary of the cables. The Sierra Club funded their installation in 1919, and the Depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps replaced the original ones 15 years later.
The entire Half Dome hike is about 15 miles with an elevation gain of 4,800 feet. It takes most people 10 to 12 hours to complete the trek, according to park officials. Every year, rangers are called to assist hundreds of people who become injured or fatigued on the trail.

The park offers 300 daily permits to scale Half Dome: 225 for day hikers and 75 for backpackers with multiday wilderness permits.
Permits weren’t required for most of the park’s history, but four deaths in as many years prompted officials in 2010 to cap the number of hikers on Half Dome.
Programmers quickly figured out how to rig the online system, with success rates for weekend permit-seekers as low as 2%.
To level the playing field this year, park officials said they would make an additional 50 permits available each day in a second lottery based on cancellations and no-shows. Hikers apply two days ahead of time and find out the same day whether they won.
An arduous trail and a competitive permit process aren’t the only issues to overcome to successfully hike Half Dome, though.
Many of the complimentary shuttles meant to combat increasing traffic in the park have become overcrowded and fallen into disrepair, leading to long wait times and safety concerns among drivers.

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Yosemite National Park Announces Limited Access on Tioga Road Beginning on Friday, June 21, 2019

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Yosemite National Park announces there will be limited access to Tioga Road (Highway 120 East) for visitors interested in crossing the Sierra. Tioga Road will be open to all vehicles, including bicycles, from 10:00 am to 11:00 am and from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm. No parking will be allowed on Tioga Road and day use recreation is not permitted. There is no visitor parking available at either end of the road closure.
There are no visitor services available along Tioga Road. The Tuolumne Meadows Visitor Center, Wilderness Center, and the Tuolumne Meadows Campground remain closed. Opening dates for the 2019 season have not been determined. Restroom facilities will be available 5 miles east of Crane Flat Junction and at Tioga Pass.
Visitors are encouraged to plan their trips over Tioga Road in advance and to prepare for the restricted access and no access to visitor services. The road will remain closed outside of these times to allow for continued roadwork and snow clearing.
Cyclists traveling over Tioga Road will need to be prepared to cross over the full length of Tioga Road during daylight hours. Tioga Road is closed to overnight camping.
Backpackers planning trips in the High Sierra will be able to be dropped off and picked up at trailheads along Tioga Road. All backpackers will need to pick up their wilderness permits in advance and have a bear canister in hand. It is strongly recommended for all backpackers to be aware of the timing that the road is open and closed and to plan their trip logistics accordingly. Any backpacker who misses the road open period will need to be prepared to spend an additional night in the wilderness. All wilderness regulations will remain in effect.
Yosemite National Park is open year-round. All motorists should drive with caution and be aware of possible hazards in the roadway, including rocks, debris, and water. Tioga Road may be impacted by incoming storm activity, including snow and icy driving conditions, over the next several weeks. Tioga Road may temporarily close due to weather and unsafe driving conditions at any time. Tioga Road is a seasonal road through Yosemite National Park, typically open from late spring to early fall.

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Yosemite National Park Announces Tioga Road To Open to Unrestricted Vehicular Traffic on Monday, July 1

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Yosemite National Park announces the Tioga Road will open to unrestricted vehicular traffic on Monday, July 1st, at 8:00 a.m..

From now until the full opening Monday morning, vehicular access will continue to be available from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. There will continue to be no stopping along the road and no overnight parking.. Park Rangers will sweep the road after each open and closed period to make sure visitors are utilizing the corridor only to cross the Sierra. Bicycles will be allowed during daylight hours throughout the weekend.

The park implemented the limited opening the past couple of weeks to allow crews to remove snow, set up utility systems to open restrooms and facilities, and prepare for summer operations. This resulted in better protection of park resources with no day use of the area as operations were coming on line. Areas along the Tioga Road, and specifically Tuolumne Meadows, are ecologically sensitive areas and the full opening with restrooms available for visitors will mitigate many resource issues that were seen in past openings where the road was opened with no facilities available for the public.

Visitor Services such as general park information and restrooms will be available beginning Monday. Other visitor services, such as campgrounds, lodging, and the store and grill, will be opened incrementally throughout the month of July.

Yosemite National Park extends its gratitude to the visiting public for complying with the limited opening, and helping to protect the park's precious resources.

Yosemite National Park is open year-round. All motorists should drive with caution and be aware of possible hazards in the roadway, including rocks, debris, and water. Tioga Road may be impacted by incoming storm activity, including snow and icy driving conditions, over the next several weeks. Tioga Road may temporarily close due to weather and unsafe driving conditions at any time. Tioga Road is a seasonal road through Yosemite National Park, typically open from late spring to early fall.

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Yosemite landmarks to get names back after suit is settled

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A company that lost its contract to run Yosemite National Park's hotels, restaurants and outdoor activities has settled a lawsuit with the National Park Service and the park's new concession operator over rights to the names of famous park landmarks.
The National Park Service said Monday the settlement with Delaware North allows the park to restore the previous names of some properties at Yosemite, including the Ahwahnee Hotel, which is now called the Majestic Yosemite Hotel.
The Park Service in 2015 awarded Aramark a 15-year contract and shortly after, New York-based Delaware North filed a lawsuit saying it owned the trademarked names of the Ahwahnee Hotel, the Wawona Hotel, Curry Village and other properties

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Yosemite National Park Debuts New App That Helps Visitors Explore the Park

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A new app by Yosemite National Park and Yosemite Conservancy makes it easier to plan a visit and explore Yosemite National Park.
“This app features incredible content about what to see and do in Yosemite in different areas of the park during all seasons,” said Yosemite National Park Superintendent Michael Reynolds. “It’s a great tool intended to enrich visitors’ time in Yosemite.”
The app is available on iOS as NPS Yosemite National Park and on Android as NPS Yosemite. App users will find basic information about park services and programs, as well as an interactive map designed to help visitors locate iconic features, scenic spots, trailheads and amenities. The app features one-day itineraries to explore different areas of park, such as hiking in Yosemite Valley, experiencing the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias and picnicking at Tenaya Lake. It offers self-guided tours to learn about Yosemite’s history and natural phenomena as well as schedules for a variety of activities, including art workshops and theater performances, Ranger-guided programs and more. The app also provides basic details about bus shuttles, road conditions, parking, where to eat in the park, and much more.
“This is a powerful tool to have in your hand to explore and learn about the park,” said Yosemite Conservancy President Frank Dean. “As more people experience Yosemite’s beauty, learn of its history and create memories, it will inspire them to preserve and protect it.”
Yosemite Conservancy donors contributed to building the app. Members of the National Park Service in Yosemite, Yosemite Conservancy and other park partners created the content in the app based on years of experience working with park visitors in and around the Yosemite area. Most app content can be downloaded before arriving in the park and used offline in areas of limited cell service. Users are also able to find Yosemite Conservancy-led programs and adventures, and link to the Conservancy website to learn more about the organization or to donate.

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Colourful 'watermelon snow' appears in US national park

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You already know not to eat yellow snow, but now you’re also going to want to avoid eating pink snow.
It might be August, but parts of a popular national park are currently buried under blankets of watermelon snow.
Watermelon snow, which actually looks and smells like the delicious summer fruit, has recently appeared at Yosemite National Park in California.
The colourful phenomenon is caused by a species of green algae that contains a red pigment and commonly occurs in alpine and coastal polar regions at altitudes of 3,000 to 3,600 metres, according to The Weather Network.
Yosemite National Park shared on Twitter that the bright red pigment serves as a ‘natural sunscreen’ for the algae by protecting it from damaging UV radiation.
And while you might be tempted to check out the colourful snow in person, experts advise not to eat it as it could contain dirt, microbes, and other bacteria that have the potential to make humans sick, according to The Weather Network.
“Any snow has the risk of containing pollution, dirt, and microbes,” Dr. Jennifer Johnson from Mayo Clinic Health System told AccuWeather.
“Snow that has been on the ground for a couple of days may have chemicals from snow removal, dirt, microbes from the dirt and animal debris.”
Additionally, The Weather Network says footprints and other types of compression can enhance the pinkish-red colour and walking on it can result in the colour being transferred onto clothing.

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Glacier Point Road bleibt 2021 geschlossen

Yosemite National Park Will Host a Public Meeting on the Upcoming Glacier Point Road Rehabilitation Project

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Glacier Point Road in Yosemite National Park to be closed for road construction during the 2021 visitor season
Yosemite National Park will host a public meeting in Oakhurst, California from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm on Wednesday, August 28, 2019 on the upcoming Glacier Point Road Rehabilitation Project. All are welcome to attend this meeting to learn more about the Glacier Point Road Rehabilitation Project, which will be held at the Oakhurst Community Center (39800 Fresno Flats Road, Oakhurst, California, 93644).
The Glacier Point Road Rehabilitation Project will address multiple severe safety issues on the ten miles of road located between the intersection to the Badger Pass Ski Area and the Glacier Point Parking Area. Some of the road safety issues that will be addressed in this project include:
- To Pulverize and repave ten miles of road between Badger Pass and Glacier Point.
- To Repair the narrow hairpin turns between Washburn Point and Glacier Point to address vehicular safety issues
- To construct additional parking and new vault toilets near the Sentinel Dome Trailhead
- And More
At this community meeting, staff with Yosemite National Park will provide presentations on the project between 4:30 pm and 5:00 pm, followed by an open house from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Yosemite National Park will be gathering public feedback on the Glacier Point Road Rehabilitation Project at this meeting. National Park Service staff will also provide information on the upcoming roadwork on Tioga Road.

This critical road work on Glacier Point Road is scheduled to begin in spring 2021. Glacier Point Road will be closed for the entire 2021 visitor season, and there will be traffic delays on Glacier Point Road in 2022.

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Danke!
Habs verschoben.
Irgendwie bringe ich die NPs schon mal durcheinander.